How can you not love Reno?
by RenoLuvver
Summary: As usual, I fail at titles and summaries. P This is just a compilation of one-shots, all about Reno of course. There may or may not be pairings, and they may go from funny to depressing...but it's Reno, so that's all you need to know. xD
1. Date Night

_Author's Note: This is the first in a series of one-shots, completely unrelated to each other. =P The only similarity is Reno's involvement in them all. Let me know what you think of this one, k? I wanted to title it "Hell hath no fury..." but that inevitably leads to the rest of the saying which would make it "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" and there is no woman being scorned so........oh well. =P Just read it now and I hope you like it!!_

The quiet clink of delicate silverware and the gentle hum of subdued voices filled the plush, candle-lit room. Pleasant music softly filled the lulls in sound as the elegantly-clad musicians drew beautiful notes from their instruments, stationed as they were in a corner. Mouth-watering aromas wafted from the bustling kitchen, tempting the multitude of patrons filling the dining room. Elena's brown eyes sparkled with delight as she looked around her happily. Her gaze soon fell on the tall red-head sitting across from her in their little corner table for two. Reno was currently preoccupied with the small, flickering flame of the thin candle set between them on the table. He stuck his hand out and ran a finger through the tongue of fire swiftly, amused by the seemingly miraculous lack of burn.

"Behave, Reno!" Elena reprimanded in a whisper, but she smiled and the light in her eyes only sparkled more.

"Sorry," he grinned, "I like to play with fire."

The couple had been together for nearly two years now, but Elena could still count on just one hand the number of official dates they'd had. Most of the time, it was impossible to get away from work, especially the two of them at the same time. Luckily, after months of begging, Tseng had managed to spare them both for the evening and they were making the most of it. Somehow, Reno had managed to get them into Midgar's finest restaurant at the last minute, with no reservations. Elena had no idea how he pulled that off, but she didn't even bother asking. He was Reno, thus, he could do anything.

"Well, you look gorgeous," Reno commented, the always-present smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Not that it's any different than usual."

"Always the charmer, aren't you," Elena beamed, smoothing the soft, sparkling layers of her aqua dress, "You don't look too bad yourself."

"Yeah," Reno agreed with the compliment in his humorously arrogant way, "Damn uncomfortable though." He shifted, attempting to make his stiff suit more cozy than it actually was. It took a very special occasion for Reno to bother donning his nice suit.

"Don't worry, it'll be off soon enough," Elena took a sip of her champagne, and smiled innocently, an enticing glint in her eyes. Reno raised an eyebrow, looking a bit surprised at such a comment coming from her. Then again, she was constantly surprising him. His smirk didn't take long in coming, but his reply was cut off by the heinous buzz of his cell-phone.

"What do they want?" Elena questioned, slightly irritated by the interruption, "They know we're busy!"

"Gotta answer. It's the boss, " Reno shrugged, "What the hell do ya want? I'm on a date." Clearly Reno's allowances for Tseng did not go very far. Elena watched, first with mild annoyance, and then with curiosity as Reno listened in complete silence, a serious expression growing on his face. The one-sided conversation lasted less than a minute. "Alright, be there in five." Reno tossed more than enough gil to cover their drinks on the table, and then stood, offering his hand to the confused girl. "Sorry, baby, but we got to go."

"But what's going on?" Elena asked, taking Reno's hand and being hurried out of the restaurant.

"Rufus seems to have gone and gotten himself held hostage," Reno explained in a hushed voice, "And in his own house too. Tseng and Rude are coming as fast as they can, but we're much closer. Our job is to go rescue his conceited ass as fast as we can."

"Jerks!" Elena grumbled fiercely, a scowl on her face as she was forced to abandon her fairy-tale date.

"Who exactly are you referring to?" Reno asked, "Rufus, the attackers, or Tseng and Rude?"

"All of them," Elena replied, "Enough talk, let's get this over with."

True to his word, Reno had them at one of Rufus' several palatial apartments, the one Rufus happened to be living in at the time, in under five minutes. Great lengths were taken to keep the location of Rufus' homes a secret. As an added security measure, the President of Shinra never stayed in the same building for long. He was always switching from one to another. The Turks, however, were required to know the exact location of each and every one of Rufus' homes, and which one Rufus would be in at any given moment. Memorizing the floor-plans of each was also strongly suggested.

Accordingly, Reno had them in through a little-used side door and navigating the luxurious apartment in no time. Whether from habit or a constant level of alertness born from being a Turk for years, neither of them ever left their handguns far from them. Slinking stealthily through the tastefully decorated halls, guns drawn and loaded, the Turks attempted to locate the man held hostage. Normally, in any scenario, Reno took the lead and Elena naturally followed. Elena was moving awfully quickly this evening however, often reaching new corners and rooms before the redhead. The girl hadn't said another word, but sparks were flying from her eyes. She was clearly upset that her date had been interrupted.

The entire home was searched, except for Rufus' bedroom, and a total of five men found lurking around as guards had been incapacitated. Finally, the two Turks crouched together in an alcove a few yards down the hall from Rufus' bedroom. A light showed under the door.

"They must be in there," Reno whispered, "I don't think we'll be able to sneak in, but if we approach very quietly-" He stopped speaking abruptly when Elena rose and stepped into the hall, marching towards the doors with little to no effort at being quiet. Her high-heeled shoes clicked swiftly on the floor. "What the hell are you doing?!" Reno hissed, alarmed by her sudden and risky move.

Holding her gun by her side, Elena threw open the double wooden doors, flooding the hall with light and revealing the situation before them. Rufus sat calmly in an armchair, clearly expecting his rescue any moment, while the man who had taken him hostage paced the floor, holding a gun on the President. All eyes were on the angry girl as she entered the room without a second's pause or hesitation. Without even glancing at Rufus, she walked straight for his attacker. The man stood frozen in surprise. Maybe he had been expecting someone to come attempt a rescue, but he certainly hadn't expected a woman dressed in formal evening wear. Elena came to an abrupt stop right in front of the man.

"You ruined my date, bitch!" Elena shouted, her eyes furious as she stomped on the man's right foot. The stiletto heel had to have pierced his boot, and probably some of his foot as well, judging by the man's scream. The man reflexively grabs his foot, dropping his gun in the process. Reno rushed forward to confiscate the dropped weapon, still watching Elena in surprise. The girl wasn't finished yet. Grabbing the man's shoulders, she kneed him in the groin, and then, as he was hunched over in pain, she took his head and broke his nose on her knee. Roughly pushing the man over, she left him wallowing in pain.

Reno's mouth was hanging open as he watched Elena smooth her skirts and turn to the two men staring at her.

"That all?" she asked Rufus, a bit of fire still burning in her eyes. The man was speechless. At this moment, Tseng and Rude rushed in, weapons drawn, looking for someone to take out. They quickly took in the situation, and lowered their guns.

"Don't worry guys, Laney took care of it," Reno grinned, putting his arm around the girl's bare shoulders.

"Yes, yes," Rufus spoke up, "Uh, excellent work, all of you. Is there a way I can repay you for your ruined date, Elena? It obviously meant a lot to you."

"Aw, nice of you to ask!" Elena smiled sweetly, "I actually do have something in mind. I want this weekend off, and I want to spend it with my sexy boyfriend in Costa Del Sol. I'd be happy to leave tomorrow morning. Make it happen. Ok?" Still smiling sweetly, Elena left the room with a small wave for all there.

"You've really influenced her, Reno," Tseng commented, a bit stunned as they all were.

"Well, at least she gets her facts straight," Reno grinned, "I _am _sexy."

"Reno!" Elena called from the hall, "Come on! There is still one part of our evening that can still be salvaged. And it doesn't involve that suit."

"See ya on Monday guys," Reno smirked, heading out the door, already loosening his red tie.

A profound silence filled the room as it's remaining occupants attempted to process everything that has just happened.

"Rude, would you mind looking around for my staff? They should still be here somewhere. When you find my butler, please have him make arrangements in accordance with Elena's requests," Rufus said quietly. Rude nodded and walked off. "Tseng, how did you find out about my recent hostage status? I had not managed to alert you yet."

"Oh," a small smile played on Tseng's lips, "Did you have a woman over this evening?"

"Well, I really can not see what that has to do with anything, but yes."

"Yeah, on her way out, she noticed the suspicious activity and had the presence of mind to contact me. Smart whores you keep around here."

"She has a name, Tseng." An expectant silence reigned. "And I can not remember it. But she has one." Rufus waved a finger solemnly at the Turk leader.

"You'd better make sure you get that vacation scheduled," Tseng laughed, "I don't think we would be able to save you from Elena if you didn't."

_Author's Note: Yay.......fun. I enjoyed writing it, I hope you enjoyed reading it! Review and let me know what you think!! And if you like it, be sure to subscribe to story alert so it will let you know when I post more! xD Thanks for reading!!!_


	2. Bad Idea

_Author's Note: I'm a hurry so this will be quick! Sorry for not updating last Friday, I had company! Hope you enjoy this one-shot and I'll let you know that I have begun work on the sequel to The Beginning! Please review! Thanks!_

Reno opened his eyes, an unseen force suddenly waking him. Something was wrong. Reno had lived long enough to learn to trust his instincts almost infallibly, as it was the same gut feelings that had kept him alive so far.

_Elena._ His first thought was for the girl laying next to him. Turning his head quietly, he noted that she was perfectly fine, still curled up and sleeping soundly as she'd been when he fell asleep. He kept his breathing calm and noiseless easily, even though his mind was on the full alert and his heart rate was starting to pick up. Elena was alright, so what was it that had caused him to awake so swiftly?

For the briefest of seconds, a shuffling sound was heard. The sound was barely audible and maddeningly short, but it was enough for the redhead. He knew the sound of footsteps made by someone attempting perfect silence, a feat accomplished by very few. Carefully, Reno rolled out of bed, hardly making a sound as he slid out from under the sheets, the fabric flowing over his black sweatpants and his contrastingly pale skin. Another instinctual urge gripped him, and Reno instantly reached across the bed to put his hand over Elena's mouth at the precise moment her eyes were fluttering open.

She looked first alarmed and then simply surprised and confused when she recognized the man leaning over her. Putting a finger to his lips, Reno motioned for her to remain silent as he leaned down until his mouth almost touched her ear.

"Don't move, don't speak," he whispered so low she could hardly hear him. Elena was starting to look alarmed again as Reno backed away, his hand sliding under his pillow and grabbing the black handgun he kept there. He knew he could probably handle the situation without it, but he didn't take chances anymore. Not when he had someone to protect, someone who depended on him.

With the silence of a highly trained professional killer, Reno crept to the door, luckily left open a crack so he didn't have to bother with a doorknob. Widening the gap just enough to get a good look through it, Reno almost smiled. _Just what I thought._ _Some pathetic bastard lookin' for anythin' to steal._ He wasn't surprised the man currently poking around in his living room had managed to get in. Reno frequently didn't even bother locking the door to his apartment. Anyone who knew whose home it was wouldn't dare break in, and if they knew and were still breaking in, they must be extremely intent on killing him and a measly lock wouldn't be much of a deterrent anyway.

Now that he'd realized there really was no danger, Reno just became annoyed. He opened the door wider and slipped out, hugging the wall where it was darkest. He knew Elena was listening as hard as she could, probably frightened, and he hoped she wouldn't move or make any noise and draw attention to herself. He still didn't know if the intruder was armed or not. It wouldn't make much difference anyway. Reno could drop the man before he had time to register any sound made by Elena. However, anyone who woke him up in the middle of the night did not deserve to get off that easily.

When he'd gotten exactly where he wanted to be, Reno intentionally let his footfall make a sound, just to set the burglar's nerves tingling. The desired effect was produced. The man froze, listening intently. The silence inside the apartment was so deep it seemed to scream. Eventually, the intruder crouched behind a chair, hoping to be hidden in case his position had been compromised. Reno had predicted the movement, of course, and was positioned against the wall behind the same chair, now less than five feet from the man.

"Ya know," Reno spoke up at a normal volume, "That would work if I couldn't see in the dark." The intruder practically jumped out of his skin, glancing around frantically for the redhead who leaned casually, and still as a statue against the wall, invisible for the moment. It was times like these when his mako-enhanced vision came in handy. Darkness posed no problem to Reno. Everything still appeared in shades of grey, but it was like half-light to him.

"Do you know where you are?" Reno asked conversationally. The would-be thief made no sound for a moment, and then bolted wildly for the door. Reno easily tripped him, and then moved away before the man got his bearings so that his location remained unknown. The man now attempted crawling his way to freedom, but was jerked to his feet and whirled through a series of precise motions that ended with Reno holding the man's arms securely behind his back with one arm. With his other hand, Reno cocked the gun audibly and pressed the cold metal barrel against the intruder's temple.

"Congratulations," Reno was beginning to sound upset, "You've broken into the home of a Turk!" He could almost feel the man go cold and he could certainly hear the gasp of horror.

"I didn't know, I'm sorry, just let me go!" the man begged, struggling hopelessly. By now Elena decided the need for silence was over, and she had stepped into the room and flicked on a light, banishing the thick darkness from the area.

"Oh, let him go, Reno," she yawned, "He's scared to death."

"But he woke me up! I'm pissed off now!" Reno complained, "I am really tired, and it took me forever to fall asleep, and then this bastard _had_ to come sneakin' around and wakin' me up!"

"Is it worth shooting the guy over?" Elena questioned skeptically, approaching the two men. The burglar had stopped struggling, and appeared to be holding his breath, evidently hoping that Elena would convince Reno to let him go. When she reached them, Elena put a gentle hand on Reno's bare upper arm and leaned up to speak quietly in his ear.

"We do enough killing as it is. Why add one more to the count if it's not necessary?" The words were spoken with feeling, obviously coming from someone who believed in them very much. What she said seemed to have some effect on the redhead, who un-cocked the gun and lowered it with a sigh.

"Fine," he sounded a bit sullen, "But ya ain't gettin' away that easy." With the ease of long practice, Reno plucked a wallet out of the man's back pocket in the blink of an eye. He shoved the man away from him, surprising the intruder and making him fall to the floor as Reno flipped open the wallet. "Dude, next time carry a little more cash, will ya?" Reno complained, removing the money and tossing the wallet to the man.

"Did you just steal from the guy who broke into your house?" Elena asked, having trouble processing what had just happened as the man took his emptied wallet gratefully and ran like the devil was at his heels. He wouldn't be breaking in anywhere for a long time.

"Yup," Reno replied, appearing satisfied with himself as he picked the girl up and carried her, his gun, and the newly acquired cash back to the bedroom, "Cause I'm just that awesome." He flicked the light off in passing and set the money and gun down on the dresser, still holding Elena. "And now I am going to get some freakin' sleep!" He held her close as he lay down. Smiling and shaking her head slightly at his uniqueness, Elena pulled the blankets over them both and ran her fingers through his blood-red hair until he fell asleep.


End file.
